WH Smith To Roll Out Airport Ebook Stores
Posted on May 25, 2001
WH Smith announced that its test of an ebook store was successful and has committed to installing e-Book stores from Zoom Systems on a national scale. The ebook store is a joint collaboration between WH Smith USA Travel Retail and Zoom Systems Inc. The ebook store is integrated into the storefront of WH Smith's Airport/Airmall store locations. Each machine houses a maximum of 25 fiction and nonfiction bestseller titles. A self-pay aspect of the machine allows visitors to pay at the ebook store instead of entering the store, allowing travelers to purchase books at any hour of the day.
Steve Foster, President and CEO of Zoom Systems said, ``We are gratified that our unique retail e-Store has been embraced by the consumer and has proven to be a valuable service for WH Smith.''
The Zoom Systems e-Store is a network of web-enabled vending stations that sell a wide range of products. The Zoom Systems adapted its platform for the WH Smith airport application. With the WH Smith ebook store the consumers view products and related detailed book information on the unit's 15-inch touch screen, on which a customized, multi-media consumer interface is presented. The e-Stores enables clients to distribute product in conventional and unconventional locations. The merchandising, sales presentation, and inventory are managed from the desktop via the Internet.
